Neural correlates of awareness in brains and in man-made devices

Abstract

A dynamical system-based approach to awareness is outlined. Awareness is an important component of intelligence as the system evolves through a sequence dynamical changes upon its interaction with the environment. Awareness is inherently rooted in the individual as a nonlinear system far from equilibrium. Recent cognitive experiments with spatio-temporal neurodynamics indicate large-scale intermittent synchronization-desynchronization effects as important hallmarks of awareness in biological systems. These results serve a mathematical framework to create computationally aware artificial designs.